TheChat: Blow up Washington? Donald Trump’s approach fails to win over leading Republicans

▪ “They’re still trying to project this mind-set that they’re blowing up the place, blowing up the institution. But now they’re talking to 120 or 130 million voters, not a few million in a few states.” — Dan Senor, a former adviser to Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in the 2012 election, on Donald Trump’s disdain for government.

His attitude may have played well in the primaries, but now Trump faces a vastly expanded electorate, Senor said. Trump’s approach has put off leading Republicans and his inability to rally them to his side has blossomed into a mega story. He is to meet with Ryan and other congressional Republicans next week to try to repair the damage.

▪ “This year, I'll be wearing one of their hats in the parade to make up for this mistake.” — Abe Rakov, campaign manager to Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jason Kander of Missouri, apologizing for his mistaken tweet about a Roy Blunt volunteer wearing what Rakov thought was a Washington Nationals baseball cap.

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Turns out the cap was for Webster Groves High School, and that’s the cap Rakov promised to wear in the parade. Rakov was attempting to make a snarky remark about Blunt, Kander’s likely November opponent, as a Washington insider. But he mistaked the “W” on the cap for the wrong team. Blunt's son, former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, weighed in, saying he was disappointed that the volunteer “was disparaged as a Nationals fan.” The fun and games are already underway!

▪ “A continued sign of hard-fought progress.” — Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill on new figures that show that the number of military members continuing to report sexual assault crimes is holding steady even after those numbers spiked in the wake of reforms.

A Democrat, McCaskill led efforts to improve the military justice system and is keeping an eye on how service members are responding.

▪ “There is a great need in the foster care system.” — Kansas first lady Mary Brownback calling for an expansion of the state’s network of foster parents, especially for the care of youth with physical or behavioral challenges.

The Kansas Department for Children and Families has jurisdiction over 6,685 children in foster care, and more foster homes are needed. Also in demand: mentors who can help guide foster children who are aging out of the system.

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